


Make Way

by auburnautumn



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Another Episode, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: The rape/noncon and underage tags are just mentions of the actions in reference to Utsugi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-10 01:46:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5564266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auburnautumn/pseuds/auburnautumn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You wake up in the body of Enoshima Junko and immediately hyperventilate.</p><p>Things snowball from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Make Way

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, there! Before you read this, I want you to know a few things:  
> 1\. I wrote this over the course of 3 nights while sleep deprived  
> 2\. Because of that, Matsuda is somewhat slightly ooc  
> 3\. There may be some grammar/spelling mistakes. I tried to find them all but there are probably some that I missed so sorry in advance  
> 4\. The person in Enoshima Junko's body accepts being in a new body relatively well, because... honestly? My only motivation for this fic was Enoshima giving the Warriors of Hope actual love and care because they did not deserve what they got in the end (which was death, hurt, and manipulation D':)  
> 5\. I rushed this fic, but hey, I hope you and I can both enjoy this thrown-together, sleep-deprived work despite all that. Because fanfic is really about enjoyment in the end!

You wake up and immediately hyperventilate.

Across from you is a mirror, and you see red hair and red eyes and you are five seconds from screaming and tearing your hair out because that isn't your face isn't your face isn't yoUR FACE

That is the face of Otonashi Ryouko, cringing in anguish and staring right back at you.

You force yourself to take breathes at regular intervals.

You remember playing a game and beating Enoshima Junko.

What's more, you remember being Enoshima Junko. The photoshoots, the plan for the most despair inducing event in history event in history, and the despair itself. Oh god, the despair.

You need help.

First things first though.

You rush out of your house and go to a professional hair salon to get your hair dyed.

Despair be damned, this was your body now and you would make Enoshima Junko look as devastatingly gorgeous as she was when she first revealed she was the mastermind.

The fashionista has a reputation to be uphold.

xOx

You know how Matsuda Yasuke will react before he even opens the door. Being the ultimate analyst - and it still amazes you that this was Enoshima's underlying talent the whole time - will do that.

A small gasp, frowning, and utter despair that his plan to make you stay as Otonashi didn't work.

"Junko san," He says, pulling a neutral voice that belies his slightly shaking hands.

You point a finger at him - fake nail and all - and say in your punk voice:

"That's right! I'm Enoshima fucking Junko and no one can change that!"

You switch to your cute voice, because hey, voices are fun. "Not even you Yasuke! Trying to brainwash me, I didn't know you had it in you!"

A pause, then you pull some glasses from your pocket and pull your teacher voice. "Actually, that's not true. We both knew full well of that possibility. I don't know whether I should be proud of or disappointed at your attempts to make me stay an amnesiac. Though, unfortunately, I must say..."

A serious voice. "Your plan worked to some degree."

"Junko san?" He steps forward. "I assume you mean you don't want to carry out the world ending, most despair inducing event of mankind?"

You grin, holding up a v with your fingers. "Well, that and... I don't want to feel despair anymore."

"What?" He replies almost breathlessly.

You frown. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

Matsuda practically pushes you into his room.

xOx

"Junko," Ikusaba Mukuro says when she sees you and not Otonashi, taking a step back and inhaling sharply. You notice her dig her nails into her palms, as if she's reassuring herself that yes, this is real.

"Yasuke kun, you called her when you said you were using the bathroom, weren't you?" You scoff, though you already know the answer.

"We should tell her a few things," Matsuda nods, nudging you forward.

"My name is Enoshima Junko," You drawl with a roll of your eyes.

Yasuke huffs. "That's great. Perhaps next we should tell her that the sky is blue? Oh, or that water is wet?"

"Ugh, fiiiine, Mr. Sassypants." You whine, stomping your foot before staring at your half sister. "Mukuro, I don't want to end the world."

She blinks in surprise. "Okay."

Wow. It was almost sad how quickly the soldier was willing to go along with Enoshima's - or your, you guessed - whims.

"Aren't you going to ask why?" You sigh impatiently, looking at your nails.

"Why?" Ikusaba asks.

You smirk, before holding up rock sign with both hands and giving her the same answer you told Matsuda.

"I'm getting fucking bored of despair all the time! I mean, I still love it, but damn!"

xOx

The relationship between you and Matsuda is kind of messed up.

Then again, nothing with Enoshima Junko is simple. But still, the boy is your therapist and yet he loves you, his patient. What's more, you care for him, your therapist. And you've been together for so long, since childhood, that youclick naturally. And your talents align perfectly - you can both pick apart people seamlessly and can both finally have another person that can actually keep up with them. It's refreshing. And though you don't love him, you can see yourself staying by his side.

He frowns, his sarcasm, his dry wit; his hair, his knowledge, his cleverness; his despair, his hope, his smile.

You can see yourself wanting it all.

And you know that he knows that you know this.

And he knows that you know that he knows that feels the same way about you.

So.

You're probably breaking his oath or whatever every second he feels an ounce of care for you, and you two are probably somewhat codependent and this relationship isn't regular or healthy at all.

But fuck it.

(Even if he can be a serious jerk.)

xOx

"I'm quitting Hope's Peak," You tell Ikusaba over dinner, and she bends the silver wear in half in a mix of surprise and anger and fear.

You predicted as much.

"What? No you aren't. Why would you say that?"

You giggle. "I can't forget about despair all the time when I'm surrounded by so much hope!"

Besides. The system is corrupt and focused only on talent.

And you can't look your classmates in their faces knowing that, at one point, you might have caused their deaths.

"Then!" Ikusaba declares with a determination that would have scared you had you not gotten used to it by now. "I'll quit too!"

"Ne, Mukuro? You don't even know what I'm going to do!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"But you won't even get to stay with your friends!" You pout.

"It's doesn't matter! Because... Because you're the only friend that I need!"

"But you won't get to even get your high school diploma!" You frown.

"It doesn't matter! I'm a soldier, not an academic. I don't have to graduate."

Your frown goes even deeper at the word 'graduate.' You get serious. "Are you even listening to yourself?"

"H-huh?" Ikusaba says.

"You're seriously going to throw your current life away for me?"

"You're my sister," Ikusaba says, as if that answers the question.

"That doesn't matter! You're your own person before being my sister. You have to be happy for yourself and not just listen to me all the time."

"What are you saying? My happiness comes from your happiness." Ikusaba says.

"Seriously! You're just spitting nonsense." You shove yourself away from the table and get up. "I'm leaving, and you're staying. End of story."

"Did you talk to Matsuda san about this?"

"Yasuke said a break would be good for me."

"A break? So you're coming back?!"

You wrinkle your nose. God, old Enoshima really messed her sister up. "You shouldn't be focusing on that possibility. Because it is only that, a possibility. And a small one at that."

"When are you leaving?" Ikusaba looks like she's about to cry. Which is really weird considering her normally steely disposition.

"Tomorrow." A bit harsh, but you figured it'd be easier than giving her time to seriously stop you.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. I already handed in all the proper forms of resignation to the academy. It was so annoying." You sigh. "Anyway. I'm going to sleep."

You walk to your room, because the only way you're going to stop these questions is if you avoid being anywhere remotely near the soldier.

As you move to close the door, you hear Ikusaba cry:

"Please, Junko, is this another one of your tests?!"

You lean your head against the doorframe and realize that your break from Hope's Peak is probably for your sister's too.

xOx

Your life for three months is an alternation of therapy sessions, photoshoots, and nights staying up with Matsuda. You always make sure to visit his place in different disguises every time, having your visits infrequent and in irregular patterns because you know for a fact that Ikusaba has his place monitored.

Then, one day, your agent mentions doing a photoshoots with a kid, and you agree, because you've done photoshoots with child models before.

This kid isn't a model though, but an actor, and according to your agent, the fact that you both have pink hair (albeit different shades) will make magazines fly off the shelves even faster because of how cute you too are.

Thinking back on it, the pink hair should have tipped you off.

Because when Utsugi Kotoko steps in front of the camera, your smile slips momentarily because this girl. This GIRL. She is just one of many who have been hurt by adults and she will not be the last.

She is perfectly charming and kind and even a bit funny and it breaks your heart.

You feel despair and you love it but you hate it at the same time and you wonder if this is how Komaeda felt.

You've already done your research on this girl. You had to, on her and all the other warriors of hope when you were planning out the most despair inducing event of mankind.

In a few months, this girl will plan to jump off a roof with her friends.

When your break begins, you convince one photographer and one set technician to come follow you to visit Utsugi in her dressing room because you forgot to thank her and you supposedly don't know where her room is.

Your practiced ears - you lived with a soldier and you were an analysist, you picked up a few things - pick up crying, and you grit your teeth before kicking the door down.

Then, you kick Utsugi's mother and agent in the face.

"GET OFF OF HER!" You all but shriek, a kick emphasizing each word.

Utsugi is still crying, and you hastily kneel by her side.

"Oh my god!" The technician gasps in horror, standing over the parent and agent, scrambling to put their clothes back on. "How dare you? How dare you?!"

"You stay here, I'll get security!" The photographer says, running off.

"They - they wanted me- they already-" Utsugi tries to explain.

"They won't. Not ever again." You declare, eyes narrow. "Can I touch your hand, Utsugi chan?"

"K-Kotoko," She says.

"Kotoko chan," You correct yourself. "I swear that they won't ever touch you again."

"P-promise?"

"Promise."

xOx

"Yasuke kun!" You say over the phone, tired but victorious. You had to argue with lawyers all day, but you were an analyst for a reason, so of course you won the case, of course you did.

"Why do you sound so happy?" He asks, turning over what seems to be a file of papers.

"Whaat? Yasuke kun! Why can't I just be happy to talk to you and hear your voice?" You sigh, leaning your head against your palm.

"Are you just happy to talk to me and hear my voice?"

"Well, now that you've doubted me, no. But! I'm curious. How was your day?"

"Hm." Yasuke pauses, "Worked on a project for the Academy, was interrogated by your sister, and was working on my studies before you called. A welcome break, by the way. My hand was cramping from the writing."

"Is that all its cramping from?" You tease. "I know you missed me, but you could have waited a few more days."

"Hm, but there's no guarantee that your boasting would match your actual performance. For all I know, you could be all talk."

"Wow. I'll have you know that I talk the talk and walk the walk. It's a great walk, in case you haven't heard."

"Oh, I've heard," Matsuda snorts. "Before tests. When we're watching movies. While I'm making breakfast." An exaggerated sigh of annoyance. "Was there a point to this?"

"First, I know you like it. No fooling me, Mr. Neurologist. Second... Imayhaveadoptedakid."

"What?"

"I may... have adopted a kid."

"What."

"I know."

"Junko san, this isn't... You're not adopting her for fun or to spread despair. Maybe before, but not now. So why? I don't understand..."

"She was hurt by her parents. And no, I'm not going to just adopt any kid who's been hurt by an adult, we both know I'm not that well recovered to be sympathetic or that financially irresponsible."

"So why?"

"She's... special. I was disgusted by her despair. And I don't want her to feel hope or despair. I mean I do but..." A sigh. "I just want her to have a chance to get better."

"Are you going to be her therapist? What kind of hurt?"

"I don't know. Maybe. And... Sexual abuse. From her mom and her agent."

A sharp inhale. "You met her on a shoot?"

"Yeah."

"..."

"Yasuke?"

"You're taking care of her on your own?"

"My salary could cover fifteen people, at most. And, and I'm getting better. I'll send her to school so she won't be completely secluded and I won't spoil her but I won't punish her either,"

"You're visiting me a week after she's introduced to your home," Matsuda interrupts.

"...Yasuke? What?"

"You're... You're not raising a child alone, Junko san."

You laugh, "You're saying you care for me. As much as you can, anyway."

"..."

"We both know that's what you mean."

"Good night, Junko san."

"No need for honorifics! You should know this by now."

"Good night, Enoshima san,"

"Wow, family names, huh, Matsuda? It's okay, I love you too."

"That's a lie."

"Yeah." You grin bitterly. "Yeah. It is. You did try to brainwash me after all. But I do care for you. I really, really do."

"..."

"You still there, Yasuke?"

"Good night, Junko."

"Good night, Yasuke!"

xOx

You buy a large house on the opposite side of town, one with seven rooms and four bathrooms, and it barely makes a dent in your budget.

"This is your room," You tell Utsugi, taking her by the hand and ruffling her hair affectionately.

"My room?" The girl asks, somewhat amazed.

"Yep. Has fluffy pillows and everything."

She walks forward, somewhat dazed. "What about... What about them? My mom and..."

You had just taken her from police custody and had her mother and agent arrested for ten years. Yasuke provided a psych evaluation for the both of them and it had not turned out pretty, as you had expected. You also legally lawyer kicked their butts.

"They're not coming back." You say.

xOx

"I'm Utsugi Kotoko!" Utsugi greets happily. "You're Junko nee-san 's boyfriend, right?"

You raise your head and give Utsugi and incredulous look.

Matsuda just keeps a straight face.

"Yes."

"No." You both say simultaneously, him the positive and you the negative. You cross your arms and flick your eyes at the camera in the corner, set up by your sister. Even though you're somewhat in disguise now, you're sure thatthe audio of your name will set Ikusaba off when she goes through the recordings.

Utsugi frowns. "So is that a no or a yes?"

Matsuda raises an eyebrow at you.

"So much for romance," You mutter under your breath, though you know Matsuda can hear you. "Yes, he's my boyfriend."

"Somehow, I manage to put up with her," Matsuda shrugs.

"Really? I was just kidding around! Haha! But I should have figured since you call each other by first names." Utsugi laughs.

Matsuda smirks, his face threatening to break into a smile. "You two should come in."

"Okay," Utsugi nods, grabbing you by the hand and leading you in. You make a face at Matsuda while the girl's back is turned.

"Would you two like to help me make dinner?" He asks, closing the door behind you.

"You didn't cook for us before hand, Yasuke?" You shake your head. "Hmm, what do you think Kotoko chan?"

"Can we make dessert too?"

You spend the next few hours cooking and baking, Matsuda making conversation that is seemingly innocent but is actually adding to his psychoanalysis of Utsugi. It's scary how much you like your talent and his and how muchyou hate the Hope's Peak superiority centered way of thought. Then again, you guess people can't help their talents. It just the labeling and superiority complex...

You slip into your different personas too, and Utsugi marvels at your acting. When Matsuda almost daringly tells you to go punk mode, you freeze up.

"Come on! I wanna see!" Utsugi says.

You sweat, trying not to yield to her demand because you shouldn't be cursing in front of her.

xOx

"So, what do you think?" You ask, leaning against Matsuda. He hums and puts his arms over yours, intertwining your fingers.

"She has her problems." He says.

"But?"

"But who wouldn't in her situation? If you really care for her, really care for her, then that's enough. You have my approval for now." He nods, and you can hear undertones of something in his voice.

Oh.

"Are you jealous?" You tease. "That I care for her?"

"I'm not jealous of a grade schooler," He scoffs.

"Good," You smirk. "Because I'm adopting three, maybe four more."

xOx

You spend the next three days collecting evidence of neglect and abuse and the next three nights laughing about despair and calling Matsuda over the phone, clutching your head in your hands. Then, the fourth day, you pick Utsugi up from school earlier than usual and meet her friends.

You see them stare at you, and you grin.

"You must be Kotoko chan's friends! Call me Junko nee. If you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask!"

Shingetsu, as sharp as you knew he was, inhales sharply at the meaning of your words.

Utsugi has definitely told them of her situation by now.

A week later, you pick up Utsugi, and Shigetsu calls your name.

"Enoshima san," He says, Daimon, Kemuri, and Towa behind him. "May we talk to you?"

xOx

Kemuri's mother screams at you as you show her your evidence of her emotional abuse of her son. You give her accounts of neighbors and cousins not even knowing that Kemuri existed. You give her ten minutes to sign the papers before you threaten to make this a lawsuit, and she takes the pen before screaming you out of her house.

Daimon's father is drunk when you approach him, not that you expected anything different. He smells like alcohol and you keep him away from the bottle until he passes out. When he wakes up, you shove a glass of water in his face and give him his options before he can even splutter out his weak attempts at excuses and at covering up. He agrees to go to rehabilitation, under your pay, and give over custody of his son, else he lose everything he has. Honestly, it's better than he deserves.

Shingetsu's parents are the hardest to deal with. They have the gall to threaten you, your modeling career, and your case solidity. They cite the fact that you haven't even graduated high school - so why should you even be allowed to take care of a child - and that someone dressed like you could never be a good influence for an adolescent.

You run up to Shingetsu's room and take pictures of the hidden needles and bags of attention altering stimulants. You tell them that you're an accredited model and fashionista and nothing they could do would hurt your career. You tell them that you're going to graduate high school and even get a university degree in five years (because, fuck, they had a good point, but you're going to stick it to them anyway, making a mental note to look up high schools with Matsuda later). Then, you tell them you'll see them in court.

You grin when the judge rules in your favor.

Towa is the easiest to adopt. And that makes you feel so, so horrible.

xOx

Your apartment complex is has an elevator, and you ride it with Towa alone one afternoon.

Then, you pull the elevator stop button.

Towa blinks and looks up at you, confused. "Junko nee?" She asks, knitting her brows.

"You've been lying to me." You say, frowning. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"What?" Towa frowns. "What are you talking about-"

"You can walk." You glare. "You can walk and you've been keeping up the act and I won't let you lie to your friends - your siblings- anymore."

"I don't know wh-"

"I saw you get up in the middle of the night." She had been getting a drink of water and didn't even bother stepping lightly.

Towa's eyes get wide and her lips start to tremble. "M-monaca d-doesn't k-know-"

"Tell me the truth. I won't let you live under my roof until you do so."

Eventually, after two more hours of circling back and forth, you're about to give up on her. You're perfectly willing to - this is, after all, Towa Monaca, and you know what she has the potential to do.

"It was because of my family." Monaca says, finally.

You remember that she is just a kid.

Just a kid that was hurt.

You take each of your children to Matsuda's in a rotation, and surprisingly, he decreases the frequency of your personal therapy sessions.

He tells you your grip on despair is getting better and switches to calling you at night more often instead.

"How are your warriors?" He always asks.

You call them such not because they fight for hope, but because they fight for themselves every day.

xOx

You're waiting for Matsuda to get back home - you appreciate that Enoshima convinced him to live off campus all those years, and that he gave her a key - when you first meet him.

A knock at the door, and you shift your attention from the television - Kuwata Leon is pitching a fastball, and you're so glad he's alive and breathing, that precious punk ex-classmate of yours - and sigh.

"What? You knew I was going to be here? Gosh, Yasuke, you're scary sometimes," You yawn, before looking through the eyehole.

Your heart almost stops.

Hinata Hajime, ahoge and all, is standing in front of the door.

You grip the doorknob until your fingers go pale and open the door.

"Ah!" Hinata says, blinking. "Enoshima san? Didn't you drop out and run away or something?"

You snort. That wasn't what you were expecting. "Well aren't you smooth. No 'hello' or anything?"

"Oh." Hinata laughs. "Sorry, I just... Hello, Enoshima san. I'm Hinata Hajime. I go to Hope's Peak and I'm working on a project with Matsuda san. I don't suppose he's here?"

"He went out to get some food for us. He didn't want to order take out, apparently, because he offended the delivery boy from the restaurant five blocks down." You ignore the fact that Hinata doesn't state his talent, as so many Hope's Peak attendants are inclined to do. You know why he doesn't.

Hinata grins. "That sounds like Matsuda san."

"You can come on in," You gesture inside with your free hand. "I didn't know Yasuke was expecting you, though."

"Ya- oh, Matsuda? I didn't know you two were that close." Hinata tilts his head and scratches his cheek. "Actually, this is a sudden visit. I had some questions about a school project of ours and he wasn't answering his phone..."

"We've known each other since we were kids." You explain. "You couldn't ask him in school?"

"Ah, it's a time sensitive project. And he said I could come over whenever I needed." Hinata smiles shyly.

"Hm," You click your tongue against your teeth. "Well, then. Are you coming in or not?"

"No, it's okay. Just tell Matsuda san that I came by okay?"

"Sure." You nod, and Hinata says thanks and moves to turn around.

"Hinata." You say, suddenly. "How do you know about me? You're a class under me and I don't know if we've ever met before."

"Huh? Oh. Well, it was kind of hard to not know you after Ikusaba san spent a month interrogating almost everyone to see if they knew your whereabouts." Hinata laughs.

"Oh," You say softly.

"She really misses you, you know."

You shrug. "Things are better now that I'm gone."

Hinata doesn't lie and disagree, and you've got to give him credit for that. "You seem like you've changed, though."

You giggle. "Promise me something, Hinata kun?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell anyone you saw me here. And don't let Yasuke change you anymore than he should. The only reason I'm like this today is partially because of him, yes, but also because of me. If the me now were only his doing, well, I'm not sure if anyone would like it."

Hinata frowns. "...Sure. I'll do that."

You nod and close the door.

Don't make promises you can't keep, Hinata.

xOx

As you register for a new high school, you realize that you might have to steal a teenage boy from your boyfriend/therapist/best friend/unhealthy codependent attachment.

xOx

You convince Matsuda to share his notes about the Kamukura project, all while convincing him that his sharing was his idea. As much as he is like your equal, you will always be one step ahead of him.

You try to persuade him to drop the project, but you don't have enough time and he wants to impress the council and why won't you understand that he needs this, he has to do this, he -

You storm out of his house.

xOx

Honestly, you had just expected this day to be you simply graduating.

But.

"Do you want to run away?" You ask Kamukura Izuru, staring into his blank red eyes. You cross your arms, shifting in the graduating gown over your shoulders.

He blinks slowly before shrugging. "I might as well. I'm bored."

xOx

You spend four years relocated with your children and Kamukura, getting voicemails from Matsuda all the while in the beginning.

(He's angry, so angry at first.

Then he tries to make deals with you. Come on, Junko san, just let me see him for one day just one day.

He gives up eventually.)

If there's one way to restore emotions, you find out, it's by spending time with people.

Kemuri finally takes off his mask and you spend the next day celebrating and hugging, and Kamukura, after much pestering from Daimon, Towa, Utaugi, and Shingetsu, hugs Kemuri as well. You spend the night crying in joy and Kamukura hands you tissue as stares blankly at the wall and not at you.

Utsugi lands a role in a movie that reaches international fame, and you sit in the audience with the rest of your children, grinning and clapping and cheering. Kamukura hesitantly claps along.

Daimon's basketball team wins its sectionals and last game of the season, and you and the rest of your children, scream at the top of your lungs. Kamukura sits silently, but you see him nod in Daimon's direction.

Shingetsu's writing ends up in an academic journal, and you convince Kamukura to go out and buy a magnetic frame to put the paper alongside all the artwork on the fridge. Shingetsu comes home to see it, with notes of congratulations and other comments scrawled in its margins, and you celebrate with cake made by your other adoptive children. Kamukura takes it upon himself to learn how to decorate confectionaries.

Towa makes blueprints and plans to make her own company, one that will rival her family. She does this not with obsession for respect, but with sincere determination to foster her interest and intellect. Kamukura stays up and studies business, making nonchalant comments to Towa that steer her in the right directions.

One day a store clerk mistakes you two for a couple. You laugh it off.

Later, you teasingly tell Kamukura that though he'll never be your lover, he is one of your closest friends. He is after all, just as smart as you. And that's refreshing.

He smiles a small smile. Not a practiced one, either.

A real smile.

"I feel the same."

xOx

"I want to be Hinata Hajime," He declares one day.

"Is that so?"

"I don't know if I deserve to be called that anymore, though. I want to stay me, still. But I liked being him. Things were so much ... easier being him."

"Then it's a good thing that you're surrounded by a bunch of people who barely knew Hinata Hajime. He is whoever you want him to be."

"...I should look toward the future, I suppose."

"Future?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then."

"Enoshima san?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me cut my hair?"

You have no idea how he convinces you to give him an ahoge.

xOx

You all decide to move again. The warriors take some time to adjust but settle in gracefully nonetheless. Hinata gets a job with a higher paying figure than yours. You continue modeling as usual, all while getting your university degree. You both spend nights writing essays about how Hope's Peak has an inadequate teaching system and superiority complex, much to the anger of the school administration and its supporters.

(The school attempts to hack your website.

Hinata sets up an AI firewall and names it — names her — Nanami Chiaki.

Hinata then gets into an argument with someone under the pseudonym 'Hopes_Peak_Is_Our_Hope', who comments on every single post you two make, and slowly but surely changes their mind.

You pretend not to see the smug smirk on his face.)

Then, one day, you get a phone call from Matsuda after months of silence. You leave it to voice mail.

"Junko san, listen. Maybe you were right about Kamukura. Maybe you weren't. That's not why I'm calling."

Hinata raises his eyebrow at your cellphone, which you put on speaker. "What does he want?"

"Ikusaba is getting married to Naegi Makoto. It's going to take place in three weeks, on the 15th, at the Hendrix Hall uptown. She wants you to come. You can bring as many guests as you like. Provided you haven't changed your phone number, hopefully you're getting this. I'll be there too. Not that that'll convince you to come, but, just so you know. Hope to see you there."

"You're my plus one." You tell Hinata. "No argument is allowed."

Hinata just blinks, his contact green eyes meeting your contact blue ones. He probably expected as much.

xOx

You go to the wedding in disguise. A plain one, so you just blend in. You reappearing, on top of Hinata doing the same, would just steal some of Ikusaba's well deserved thunder on her special day.

The two of you go to the reception earlier than others, just so you can talk to her and personally congratulate her, but you see Kirigiri slip into her changing room with a sort of sly smile, and you can hear kissing seconds later, so you don't do that because wow.

"She's making out with the bride. My sister." You say, half in respect and half in incredulous wonder.

"Does Makoto know, I wonder?" Hinata asks out loud.

You pause at the use of first names, but decide that that's not the point right now. "Knowing my sister? She wouldn't even think of doing something like this without his knowing. Or his permission even. Oh-" You laugh. "Oh... oh my gosh, they're in a relationship with Kirigiri san. And... the only reason she's not a bride right now is because she probably doesn't want to marry." You laugh even more.

Hinata leads you away before you get overheard, taking in the information with raised brows.

xOx

The vows have been exchanged for a while, and Naegi and Ikusaba are taking a break from dancing in their seats, whispering in each other's ears. It's sickeningly cute.

You're dancing with Hinata. The song is slow beat, but your movements are slower due to both of you taking peeks over your shoulders at the bride and groom.

"And then Makoto went home back with googly eye glasses and a piñata under his arms that day," He finishes his story with a nod.

You laugh, partially because of the story and partially because he's telling in with a perfectly straight face. "I can't believe my sister was in on that!"

"She was convinced by Kirigiri san and Maizono san, surprisingly enough."

"Maizono I can see, and after that changing room hallway thing, Kirigiri I can definitely see, but st-"

"Hajime?!" A voice practically shouts, and you both turn your head to see the shocked face of Souda Kazuichi. The man fumbles his way through a crowd of people, calling out to people behind him. He may or may not be beginning to cry. "Guys, it's Hajime!"

"Hinata kun?" A dainty voice echoes.

"So this is where the two named, once fallen comrade reappears!" Another voice bellows, laughter drawing even more attention.

More and more voices join in.

You turn your head and see Ikusaba about to turn her own head your way and duck for cover in the crowd. You wave goodbye to Hinata, waggling your fingers and leaving him to explain himself. Because, really, it wasn't your place to be there for his reunions with his friends.

Actually, you're surprised they hadn't seen him before. Was his ahoge not pointy enough? Or were they distracted by the ahoge of the groom?

Speaking of, even you can see Naegi walking over to Hinata.

You wind up sitting at the bar not fifteen minutes later, drinking a red, black, and white cocktail when someone sits in the seat to your left.

"Enoshima Junko," The voice drawls, cold and raspy and grating yet somehow pleasing and melodic at the same time. "Of course you would be here."

You turn, almost spitting out your drink as you make eye contact with the one and only Komaeda Nagito. He's holding his own drink - dark brown and amber - and with a bitter grin, he takes a sip.

You know that the old Enoshima made him miserable before the whole Otonashi incident, so you had been trying to avoid him ever since you woke up in this body. Partially because you being far, far away was good for his psyche, and partially because you didn't want to deal with his psyche.

"You know, when Hajime disappeared, I looked everywhere for him. I even enlisted Kirigiri san's help and went to his favorites places in the city every day for weeks. For months! But, no I was alone. Without Hajime's friendship. The day when I told myself he wasn't coming back, that my friendship had probably killed-" He pauses, voice hitching. He sets the glass down shakily. "...killed him, I was told by my doctors that the severity of my lymphoma and dementia had drastically decreased. They were amazed!"

Here, Komaeda breaks off laughing, as if he's exhaling heavy smoke.

"And now, you're here. The ultimate despair. And I know, I know it's not healthy to obsess over hope and despair like I did before. I know. But I can't help but wonder if Hajime-" His clenches his fist, tensing his body before completely slumping, his shoulders falling. "If Hajime's here too."

Did he not see Owari jump over the crowd before? Koizumi snap thirty pictures in three seconds? Saionji dance and clap her hands? Ibuki rush over to the live band playing before Pekoyama and Kuzuryu pulled her back? Tsumiki stutter cheerfully? Nidai laugh boisterously? Hanamura practically shove food in Hinata's direction? The imposter, under the guise of Togami, point his finger in Hinata's face and demand answers?

Apparently not.

You don't know what to say to Komaeda. From his words, he's probably seen a therapist or too after Hinata became Kamukura (probably after his friend's prompting, you suspect). That's good. But you don't want to say anything that will set him off.

Unfortunately, you blurt the first thing that comes to your mind.

"I renounced the title of despair a long time ago. It's still a work in progress but the idea still stands."

Fortunately, Nagito takes it well. He blinks and smiles sadly.

"Ah."

You two sit there in silence for a few seconds. A few seconds that feel like and hour.

You take out your phone awkwardly and text Hinata.

'Get your butt over here right now. Mayday, Hinata. Red alert and all that."

Not soon after, Hinata walks over. "Are you getting drunk this early in the night, Enoshim-"

"Hajime!" Komaeda breathes. He sounds almost desperate and angry (not at Hinata, but at himself) and so, so relieved.

"N-Nagito!" Hinata says in response. His face has the most natural expression of emotion you've seen him have since he became Kamukura. Surprise and happiness and almost regret.

You swipe Komaeda's drink and get up, leaving them be.

xOx

It's almost midnight and mostly everyone has left. Hinata and Komaeda are slow dancing in the corner, grinning like idiots with dried tears stains on their faces.

"How are the kids?" Someone asks from behind you.

You don't jump because you know someone has been standing behind you for some time now. And only two people who would really bother doing so. The other is with the groom.

"Yasuke, you creep. You better not be Komaeda's therapist."

"No, he couldn't pay me enough to deal with him," Matsuda responds, moving to stand in front of you.

You burst out laughing. "That was a horrible joke. Komaeda is loaded and if anything, you'd have to pay him to put up with you and your mind meddling ways."

"Hm. You're still laughing, though." Matsuda then makes a face that shows he's not willing to discuss the issue right now.

"Why are you still here, Yasuke?" You scoff, not really putting any attitude behind the action.

Matsuda shrugs. Then, he looks over to Hinata and Komaeda. "Thought maybe we could dance too."

"I get to be the lead then. And, fair warning, I tend to step on toes. A lot."

Matsuda nods. "Fine."

You look at his face, searching for any sign of reluctance, and after finding none, you break into a grin.

"Actually, you know what? I have a better idea."

xOx

Ikusaba Mukuro sits in a chair across from her husband. Somehow, despite having been telling her jokes since the night started, she is still laughing and energetic and happy.

"Excuse me?" Someone asks from behind her.

Naegi pauses mid sentence and Ikusaba turns around. She sees Matsuda Yasuke standing next to someone with green hair, but her soldier training and sharp eyes tell her that this is a disguise. Far away, she probably couldn't tell. But up this close? No, something is definitely off here.

"Yes?" She says, somewhat guarded and confused.

"You look beautiful tonight... Nee-chan." The person pauses, before making a rock sign. "Fucking beautiful!"

Ikusaba jumps out of her chair and practically tackles the person. Matsuda's presence probably should have tipped her off, in retrospect.

But, whatever.

All that matters for her is that her sister is here.

Maybe now, they can be sisters for real. Without unhealthy devotion and manipulation.

With love.

xOx

Hinata looks at Enoshima in the corner and smiles. He looks back at Komaeda in front of him and smiles even more.

He's long past hope and despair.

He'll look toward the future.

 

 


End file.
